Part 1
Not too long ago, a boy named Tony was born and raised in a seaside village called Belmont, known to honor a magical place in the ocean called the Water Kingdom. No one from Belmont had ever seen the Water Kingdom due to it being deep underwater, but Tony had heard amazing legends about the beauty and serenity of the Water Kingdom from family and village folks. The stories told of a place where dolphins and other animals lived in peace and tranquility in loving and thriving communities called pods. Whenever Tony watched dolphins swim above the water, he fantasized about visiting the Water Kingdom with the dolphins.
The dolphins enjoyed watching Tony swim and also observed and admired his kindness towards everyone. Even though there was no verbal communication between Tony and the dolphins, the dolphins decided to teach Tony a Water Kingdom martial art called waterbending. Waterbending is based on the four swimming strokes and each stroke has a main technique created by different water animals to control and bend the element of water: butterfly (dolphins), backstroke (otters), breaststroke (frogs), and freestyle (sharks). These animals each have different waterbending cultures: dolphins are social and receptive, otters are playful and adventurous, frogs are adaptable and calming, and sharks are bold and straightforward. For years, Tony enjoyed his butterfly lessons from the dolphins. Tony used his butterfly technique to play with the dolphins in the majestic blue ocean and taught butterfly to younger kids from Belmont. Tony perceived the dolphins’ happiness living in the Water Kingdom and hoped to one day use his butterfly waterbending skills to visit it and swim with the dolphins.
Part 2
As Tony entered his teen years, he began to feel uncomfortable with his body. He experienced a phase when he had to wear glasses to see properly and felt self-conscious about his appearance. Although Tony remained social and receptive to others, he didn’t feel understood. The ocean water became slightly darker, but he was still enthused about dolphins and the Water Kingdom. Tony also began to acknowledge that he liked boys, but felt confused by this part of his identity.
In his mid-teens, he was part of a competitive waterbending team that featured a waterbender from each of the four animal styles. The team’s freestyle (shark) waterbender, Brian, did not like that Tony’s waterbending was the strength of the team. He felt envious of Tony’s butterfly and, for months, persistently called Tony a fag. Tony struggled to stand up for himself; Brian humiliated and degraded Tony by claiming dolphins aren’t manly, pantsing his swim trunks, and shaming his identity. The dolphins did everything they could to protect Tony, but Brian’s shark friends used aggressive gestures to intimidate the dolphins.
During a competition, Tony felt the bullying was too much and pleaded for Brian to stop. Instead, Brian used different freestyle moves to attack him. Tony used his butterfly to protect himself, but Brian hurled derogatory phrases to overwhelm him. Tony was terrified as the dolphins became scared and fled the scene for their safety. The sharks chased after the dolphins, leaving Tony and Brian alone. Brian launched an aggressive freestyle attack. Tony attempted to use butterfly, but Brian foresaw the move and escalated his behavior to physically assaulting Tony. Following the assault, Brian took advantage of his own bloody nose to smear his blood all across Tony’s chest, while insultingly calling him gay. The ocean color became significantly darker.
Part 3
Tony was devastated after Brian used shark attacks on him, feeling both humiliated and emasculated. Tony knew that he liked boys and dolphins, but believed that they were the source of his pain. He wanted the pain to stop, but it only increased with time. Tony couldn’t ignore his suffering and wanted to be like the boy who loves water. Over the next year, Tony searched the surfaces of the dark ocean for the dolphins, but they had disappeared. He felt abandoned and unsure of why he couldn’t see them. Tony didn’t have the coping skills to take care of himself and was frightened to embrace his identity and vulnerability, preferring to deny these qualities. Tony’s mind often replayed the traumatic bullying event. He was struggling to accept himself and despaired at the dolphins' absence. Without them, Tony became depressed and lonely.
He thought no one would understand or care about his hardships. He attempted to reach out for help, but most boys told him to simply, “man up.” Discouraged and fearing judgment, Tony was too frightened to reach out further. He didn’t know of any superheroes he could relate to because they all seemed either so confident in their identity or none of the men identified as LGBTQIA+. Tony tried for a while to deny his depression, but his well-being continued to sink. At this time, Tony felt completely empty and he felt no control in his life. He experienced growing motivation to end his life because he believed that killing himself was the only way to end his misery.
One night, Tony swam out into the dark blue and purple ocean until he could no longer see Belmont. Tony used his butterfly technique to surround himself with water, hoping to never come up for air again. He felt numb and gradually struggled to stay under water. He needed air, but fought the urge to breathe. Thinking he hated himself and believing he could never be happy again, Tony was determined to end his suffering. Feelings began to numb, thoughts became fuzzy, his body felt light. The water was nearly black. The end was in sight.
Globally, suicide is the 2nd largest cause of death for people aged 15-24 years old. Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S.A for all ages. LGBTQIA+ youth are almost five times more likely to attempt suicide compared to heterosexual youth. No matter the story, suicide is a tragic, painful and heartbreaking way of dying. There are ways to prevent deaths by suicide and deaths by drowning. For more information visit:
The Trevor Project
Save Suicide Awareness Voices of Education
Newport Academy
The Michael Phelps Foundation
Part 4
Tony was now deathly still, deep under the water’s surface, and only a few bubbles escaped his mouth. Just at the brink of fully drowning, there was a sudden, powerful unconscious sensation for Tony to save himself—he used what little strength he had left to swim up to the surface. He gasped for air, breathing heavily as he gained more awareness and realized how close to death he had been. Tony swam out of the dark ocean and ran onto the beach, running until he stumbled upon a nearby creek. At the creek, there was a shell phone labeled Superhero Lifeline. Tony called and spoke to a thoughtful superhero that helped him by using a breaststroke (frog) waterbending technique to play soothing frog and water noises.
After listening to these sounds and taking a few deep breaths, Tony ended the phone call. He saw his sad reflection in the creek and shed a tear. He did not want to see water or himself. He tried over and over to use his butterfly technique to bend the water away, but the water no longer moved. The creek water continued to shine with Tony's reflection. He stared at the creek in shock that he could no longer waterbend, and grieved with an increasing sense of shame over his drowning attempt. He slapped the water and cried, “Who am I? What’s the point of my existence?” These questions deepened his depression and caused his self-esteem to sink.
Speaking to a waterbender on the Superhero Lifeline prompted Tony to ponder what a superhero means to him. In Tony’s view, he saw a superhero as someone who helps anyone who is suffering and is able to support themselves simultaneously. Tony’s heart dropped when he had this thought because he felt the polar opposite from a superhero. He didn’t have any powers after losing his waterbending and had no strength to help anyone. Tony couldn’t even take care of himself or trust his own decision making. He didn’t understand his identity and felt unworthy to be a superhero. These thoughts terrified him every time he was at the ocean or when he saw his reflection.
For the next several months, to avoid his problems, Tony did not visit the ocean or look at himself in the mirror. His heart overflowed with feelings of guilt and disgust towards himself. Tony’s parents urged him to see a Magical Healer in Belmont. He felt ambivalent about seeing the Magical Healer, but went anyway because he felt hopelessly shattered.
Part 5
The Magical Healer introduced himself and described the Superhero Recovery process, which is when any superhero going through a challenging time needs a private space to heal, grow and learn. Since Tony radiated a magical aura, the Magical Healer believed that he and Tony would get along well. After receiving Tony’s permission, he proceeded to use a spell to playfully levitate Tony with gentle, dancing rainbow winds. This magical experience exhilarated Tony, who had thought that magic only existed in the Water Kingdom. The Magical Healer said Tony would learn about magic later, but that Tony’s well-being was the true priority.
Tony built up the courage to talk about the traumas he had with water. The magic helped Tony explore his feelings and process his experiences. Tony often cried, but the Magical Healer trained him to handle his emotions like a superhero, mentoring him in the areas of self-compassion and compassion for others and leading him to peaceful acceptance of his identity. Believing in Tony’s potential and strength, the Magical Healer instilled hope in him that he would one day see the dolphins again and visit the Water Kingdom. His encouragement perplexed Tony; he had never received support like this before, but noticed improvements with his well-being and mental health.
Tony went through the Superhero Recovery process for six months. As time passed, the supportive Magical Healer recommended that Tony return to the ocean. Tony had doubts because he had not returned to the ocean since his suicide attempt, but his dedication to self-love and confidence proved stronger. He went to the ocean. On the beach, Tony nervously attempted his butterfly technique several times and failed every time. The water didn’t move, but Tony recalled how much progress he had made in his superhero journey and focused his powers. Suddenly... bam! A blue spark ignited from his finger!
The light invigorated Tony. Tony had unlocked a spell within himself called water magic: healing. When he returned to the Magical Healer to tell him of this accomplishment, the Magical Healer explained that magic is accessible to everyone, but that superheroes who are motivated to be their authentic, best selves could naturally acquire spells. Tony learned there are three ways to acquire spells: hard work and commitment, perseverance in the face of a life-threatening crisis, and innate intuition. He had thought his water magic was not manly, but the Magical Healer reminded Tony of his tremendous growth. This encouragement inspired an exhilarating sense of hope, so Tony began using his water magic.
Part 6, Act A
Tony used his newfound powers throughout the village of Belmont and grew interested in helping others begin their own superhero journeys. All superheroes have, at some point, felt powerless, despair, or suffering, but a superhero is someone who is brave and honest about those vulnerabilities and wants to lift up other superheroes. Tony realized that he never wanted anyone to feel suicidal or in pain. This epiphany sparked his motivation to use his healing for the benefit of all superheroes. Tony completed his time with the Magical Healer with a solidified sense of purpose to use his water magic: healing spell. The Magical Healer wished Tony the best on his spiritual journey as they parted ways.
When he turned eighteen years old, Tony began to study at the Elemental Hero University. Each year, he studied the four elements on our planet: air, fire, earth, water. Tony wanted to understand how the other lands used their element to heal and be magical, and traveled to seek further wisdom.
· Himali Hawa (Mount Air)
· La Isla del Fuego (Fire Island)
· Provincia della Terra (Earth Province)
· The Dam Falls (Waterfalls)
Tony embraced the various cultures, superheroes, healing and the magic of each element. He learned healing strategies from superheroes in each culture on how they cured other superheroes in crises: air is about moving decisively with freedom, fire is about going through the fiery discomfort to transform, earth is about our instinct to survive and ground ourselves, and water is about our ability to emotionally express ourselves. Tony greatly enjoyed his adventures abroad and appreciated that each element contributed to his magical growth to heal others. Four years of travel inspired Tony to aspire to become a Magical Healer.
Remembering the Magical Healer’s departing words “spiritual journey,” Tony thought deeply about what spirit meant. He reflected on spiritual moments when he had been notably challenged, had an awakening with his soul or was at a crossroad in his life. He had learned that a spiritual journey is about embracing the unknown and accepting the flow of life with all its bends, changes and joys. His spiritual journey had led him to pursue happiness and fulfillment, yet he couldn’t forget about and missed the dolphins from the Water Kingdom. Just as he had done as a small child, he once again fantasized about the Water Kingdom and how meaningful it would be to visit it in person. Although Tony didn’t realize it, the dolphins had been missing him, too.
Part 6, Act B
After graduating from the Elemental Hero Academy, Tony wanted to continue developing his water magic: healing spell and become an official Magical Healer. He was thrilled when he was chosen to study at the Sorcery Institute for Healing. Throughout the three years at this advanced program, Tony studied and practiced how to apply his water magic: healing spell to superheroes in Superhero Recovery. He learned how to embrace and maximize the six core components of this powerful spell: empathy, affirmations, compassionate listening, non-judgment, validation, and unlimited care. The magic that had once only lived in the tip of his finger transformed and now flowed through Tony’s entire being. When he became a professional Magical Healer, he had the traditional option to call himself a Magical Healer or create his own title. Tony decided to incorporate his water background and called himself the Water Curer.
As a professional Water Curer, Tony confidently used his magic to help stabilize and support superheroes who felt suicidal or were in crisis. He decided to volunteer at the very same Superhero Lifeline that had once saved his life. The water magic: healing allowed Tony to heal superheroes from different lands and he listened to thousands of hardships. Tony felt passionate about his mission and felt fulfilled by helping superheroes who wanted to heal and grow. Sometimes, a superhero described a hardship similar to the one he had faced and the memory of drowning made Tony feel uneasy, but with his wisdom, he guided both himself and the suffering superhero to a better and safer emotional place.
Tony incorporated healing strategies from across the four elements, tailoring his lessons to each superhero’s strengths and culture. He never gave up on anyone, no matter who they were. Any superhero who shares parts of their spirit and vulnerabilities is courageous and shows their determination to grow into a stronger superhero. He always felt humbled that superheroes trusted his Water Curer superhero identity. The more Tony heard of others’ spirits, the more he reflected on his own spirit.
Tony loved his magical healing capabilities, but he missed freely swimming in the ocean with the dolphins. Years had passed and Tony wondered how the ocean near Belmont was faring. Tony believed his magic could be enough to find the Water Kingdom and spontaneously used his shell phone to contact his old Magical Healer from Belmont. They coordinated a time to meet at the beach and he began his journey back to the ocean that had once been the scene of his trauma.
Part 7, Act A
Tony didn’t realize until he started his journey back to the ocean just how distant he felt from the dolphins and how he wished fervently to be reunited with them. He was filled with determination to find the Water Kingdom and swim with the dolphins again.
Eventually, he was walking through the rocky areas of Belmont and knew he was close to the ocean. He was happy to be so close to his goal, but an intense fire suddenly blazed in front of him. A malicious laugh from a firebender woman rang out as she began throwing fireballs to block Tony from entering the beach. Tony was stunned and questioned why she was stopping him. She retorted that due to Tony’s visibly unmasculine water magic and his superhero shirt, he was not allowed access. Just as he attempted to reason with her, three painfully loud gunshots created an additional threat to Tony. A man with a gun walked over and mocked him. Both the strangers joined together to target Tony by harassing him and knocking him down hard to the ground.
Their cruel behaviors and words made Tony feel very unlike a superhero. Listening to them, he had a vivid flashback to Brian’s assault all those years before. He thought of the agony of his dolphin friends fleeing from Brian’s sharks and being separated from them for years. As the pair’s barrage continued, Tony realized that reasoning with these people wasn’t an option and his safety was in jeopardy. Unlike when he was younger, Tony knew to act swiftly now. However, his water magic: healing spell was his only spell and not something that could actively protect him in this moment.
Part 7, Act B
The firebender woman and the gun-toting man stood to block his path to the ocean, mocking him and refusing to allow him entrance. Tony was crouched on the ground, trying to stay calm. He didn’t make any sudden movements that might escalate the situation. The strangers’ taunting about how they were better than Tony and how he was unworthy made him feel powerless.
Tony was deep in thought. He knew that this assault was pushing him to a darker mental place. Tony refused to give up on reconnecting with his dolphin friends and his childhood fantasy of seeing the Water Kingdom. He reminded himself of his superhero progress over the past several years and knew that his years of training had helped him master his healing spell. During that time, he had aimed to become a superhero that would help other superheroes with their struggles. He knew his true strength was supporting others, not creating chaos or hurt. Tony realized his water magic: healing spell had helped many superheroes on the Superhero Lifeline and recalled that he had never given up on anyone—now, he wouldn’t give up on himself.
He understood the severity of this situation and wondered if his water magic could help him in this dangerous moment. Filled with renewed confidence, Tony began to stand up and the piercing water magic began to form a protective wave around him. He knew water was flexible in its application and told himself that he could trust the water for support, protection and restored strength. Tony also trusted his own resiliency. Sure enough, the water magic began to transform into a new spell as he stood up.
Part 7, Act C
Water magic: knight armor! The water magic shined as it transformed into knight’s armor and created a sword with bright blue gems in Tony’s hand. Tony now wore a durable dark blue suit of armor made of beautiful, luminescent water. On his chest was the semicolon that signifies suicide prevention and awareness, representing his hope for universal accessibility to mental health services. Being a knight represented not giving up on himself and reminded him to stand up to ignorant behaviors and hurtful actions.
Tony stood with courage and empowerment. He had pride in his superhero development and felt ready to fight to defend his superhero identities, Superhero Recovery, and the Superhero Lifeline. The firebender and the man with the gun were shocked by his new spell and angry at Tony for not caving into defeat. They mocked Tony’s superhero symbol on his chest. Tony emphasized his belief that his Superhero symbol will help others and assertively told them to stop their bullying.
They laughed at Tony and launched fireballs and gunshots toward him, but his water armor and boots allowed him to maneuver swiftly across the ground, using water magic to accelerate his speed. Even though the bullets and fire sometimes touched his water armor, the armor protected Tony from all attacks. The cruel pair became outraged and yelled offensive derogatory terms. No longer listening to them, Tony accelerated his speed toward them and slashed his sword at them. Though they fell down, they did not stop their abuse and claimed they were stronger than him.
Tony responded by stating that true strength is helping other superheroes and that superheroes use their powers to make the world a better place. The firebender and the man with the gun furiously used all of their strength to create a massive blow to destroy Tony. The fire grew significantly and the man sharpened his focus on Tony. Tony refused to lose, knowing the dolphins and the Water Kingdom were on the other side of the rocks. As the fire and gunshots were launched toward him, Tony used water magic: knight armor to slide with his water boots, pierced through their attacks and used both hands to wedge his sword through them. They were knocked down, but still conscious because Tony didn’t want to truly hurt them. Leaving them behind, Tony walked toward the ocean.
Part 8, Act A
After the epic battle, Tony arrived at the beach and saw the same dark ocean he had last swam in as a teenager. There were no dolphins in sight and Tony felt his nervousness increase. A few moments later, the Magical Healer levitated down with his air magic and greeted Tony with an enthusiastic hello. As they caught up, the Magical Healer was impressed by how Tony had cultivated his water magic to help others and to stand up for himself. As they chatted, Tony mentioned his desire to see the dolphins and find the Water Kingdom. The Magical Healer used his air magic to show Tony striking shades of rainbow colors in the sky, helping him talk through his feelings of seeing the dark water. Tony shared that he felt nervous and anxious entering the ocean again. The Magical Healer used his air magic to help Tony with his breathing to decrease his anxiety.
Tony shared that he strived to have joy in the water like during his youth and also expressed fear of going back in the water because of his suicide attempt. Tony was also worried he wouldn’t see the dolphins again and wasn’t fully confident that his water magic was powerful enough to accomplish his goals. The Magical Healer supported Tony and emphasized that his magic and motivation were more than enough to reunite with the dolphins and find the Water Kingdom. He suggested that Tony go back into the water and use his water magic: healing spell on himself. He told Tony to consider his younger self as a separate superhero in need of support, just like other superheroes that Tony had helped. Tony listened carefully and decided to try going in the water. The Magical Healer would remain nearby, should Tony need assistance.
Tony swam through the dark ocean and laid down on his back. Instantly, his anxiety reared up and interjected doubts in Tony’s mind: “You’re never good enough for anything, nobody would ever want to love you.” Tony’s breathing became ragged and he began to sweat as his memories of the drowning resurfaced.
Instead of succumbing to the feelings of despair, he remembered his superhero identities, his entire journey, and the suggestion from the Magical Healer. Tony activated his water magic: healing spell to feel comfort in the water. The piercing blue surrounded him and he began to relax. Tony felt his anxiety and fears slowly drip away from him. The ocean water then gently dipped Tony deeper into the water and his water magic allowed him to breathe underwater as a new spell morphed around him.
Part 8, Act B
Water magic: merman king! Because of the water magic: healing spell, the once dark water transformed into a pure and vibrant turquoise. Tony’s magic allowed him to comfortably breathe underwater. His history of butterfly waterbending transformed him into a merman, allowing him to swim like a dolphin. The new trident and crown with a semicolon gem on it made him feel proud of learning a new and powerful water magic spell. There was a sense of ease in having a tail; he moved it freely and twirled around in the water. Tony was once again ecstatic to be underwater!
Swimming in the ocean gave Tony a rush of excitement! When this thrill subsided, he paused in the water. The potent tranquility and fulfillment of moving underwater again made him reflect on his drowning attempt. Back then, he had been in a place where he only thought of dying to end his misery. He remembered his panic and his feelings of self-betrayal at using water to hurt himself, but knew that he now had the resources and awareness to never return to that point again. He was aware that other superheroes still struggled with those kinds of thoughts and theirs may not wash away like his had. He had been completely lost in and uncomfortable with his identity then, but now felt satisfied with how far he had come in his self-perception and superhero journey.
Tony combined his new spell with his past butterfly waterbending style to confidently become his authentic self. He never knew that healing himself could be so freeing and meaningful. He would neither deny his pain nor allow negative views from others to impact him. Tony realized that his compassionate self-acceptance had unlocked his new spell. Being a merman felt natural and genuine to Tony’s superhero identities. The water had once again become a blissfully safe place.
Out of the blue, three cheerful, disabled dolphins appeared and playfully swam around Tony, greeting him with whistles and clicks of happiness. Proud of his progress, they deemed him worthy of visiting the Water Kingdom and escorted him to the beautiful world he had longed to know. Tony swam with the dolphins lightheartedly, just as he had as a child, and explored the Water Kingdom. The beauty and serenity of the Water Kingdom felt surreal as he took an underwater breath of relief in his emotional journey to reach the Water Kingdom. Tony had achieved his lifelong dream.
Part 9
Water represents Tony’s emotional world and his ability to express himself. When the water reflects Tony’s image, he thinks about his relationships, love, self-acceptance, boundaries and creativity… all the components that make up Tony’s flow. He has learned that having an abundant flow has pros and cons. The pros include feelings of joy, innovation and compassion, while the cons lead to feelings of anxiety, depression and tears, which are water, after all. Tony’s superhero journey encompassed learning how to balance his well-being in a healthy stream of water in his life… not too much water, not too little. Water magic is Tony’s control of his emotions, thoughts and behaviors. The magic symbolizes his development and ability to adapt. Magic has the ability to transform and it always exists inside each and every one of us when we aim for self-actualization.
What’s next for Tony? Tony’s superhero journey in and out of the water has only begun. There are many doors still to be opened and countless places still to be explored. Tony is eager to learn more about how he may support others on many levels. He still strives to continue his development as a master of water magic, reflecting each day on how he can use his power to not only help others, but also himself.
Tony wants to support other superheroes with their struggles by helping them heal from their pain. Every superhero goes through hardships and has a story waiting to be heard. He wants to work with other superheroes who stand up for social justice and raise awareness on issues impacting mental health. Tony will swim through his flow, always putting humanity and love first. The Water Kingdom is a place where Tony can be himself without judgment or fear. Tony encourages all superheroes to be part of this magical place. His water magic allows others to flourish underwater in the Water Kingdom. He knows that other superheroes may not yet be able to protect themselves; he wants to extend his magic to help anyone who is open to being vulnerable about their superhero struggle. Give him a shout-out on social media!
Thank you very much for following and supporting Tony’s Superhero Story! ☺